So, 2019 has come to an end! As we try our best to lose those extra Holidays pounds and stick to our New Year’s resolutions, we put together a list of the best gaming experiences we had in the last 12 months. So, let’s jump straight into it:
Aaron: Team Cherry‘s
HOLLOW KNIGHT
“Hollow Knight was the best thing I played this year. With lots to explore, it’s a charming yet spooky experience with the most impressive aspect of the game being its art. The title effortlessly swings between adorable and disturbing without dipping too far into either. Everything is enveloped in gorgeous hand-drawn art with excellent use of color (despite its restrained palette).”
Brennan: Lucas Pope’s
Return of the Obra Dinn
“It's truly a detective *game* that unravels its story with fantastic tone, atmosphere, and immersive engagement. All despite its supernatural and very video-gamey premise. Also, it’s amazing how little handheld the title is: with simple tools and scenes to be picked over, it lets each player manage their own "Aha!" moments from start to finish.”
Corey: Respawn Entertainment’s
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
“Fallen Order is gorgeous and very true to the source material. The cinematic nature of the cutscenes, smooth transitions, and fun puzzles/dungeons made me feel like I was playing through a Star Wars movie. Overall, the game’s combat system didn’t seem well-balanced to me but it's a fantastic time, nonetheless.”
Bruno: Intelligent Systems’s
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
“No surprises from the studio’s Nintendo fanboy! To me, Three Houses took everything that made Fire Emblem great and leveled it up significantly. By combining strategic combat systems with branching stories and unusual characters, the developers created a title with immense replay value and challenging scenarios to overcome. Did I mention you can even date your companions?”
Charles: Verant Interactive’s
EverQuest
“Wait. WHAT? Are we really talking about a game from 1999? Oh, hell yes! It’s hard for me to stop talking about this blast from the past. I think EverQuest manages to resist the wrath of time due to its deep game design. There's not a single unnecessary polygon in this game. Some of the title's old-school systems can be extremely punishing to newcomers. But I still love it and play it every day.”
James: SIE Santa Monica Studio’s
God of War
“I’m amazed by the extremely high production quality of this series’ latest entry. I particularly enjoyed how clever its puzzle design is showcased and how the developers did a great job in mentally challenging players on such an action-oriented game. Although I would prefer this to be a little bit less of an Open-World, I genuinely had a fantastic experience.”
Marc: Obsidian Entertainment’s
Outer Worlds
“Anything that could be frustrating to the player's experience has been removed from the title. It's gameplay before realism. There are no modern fads, multiplayer, shops or collectibles. Everything is just here to make the game enjoyable. To me, the only problem with Outer Worlds is that it makes me want more!”
Vivian: Nintendo, Arika’s
Tetris 99
“As a busy mom and producer juggling tasks, Tetris-99 was a perfect fit for me this year. I can quickly jump online and destroy 98 other players without too much of a time commitment! 😊 In all seriousness, the stress of hundred Tetris fanatics battling it out to see who is king is a fantastic concept, and definitely one of the most unique takes on the Battle Royale genre to come out. It's fast-paced, challenging, and breathes new life into one of the greats. Loads of fun if you're a Tetris fan! Well done Nintendo.”
What about you? What were the best gaming experiences you had in 2019? Let us know in the comments!